Truss



H. A. FRENCH l sept. 4, 193,4.

TRUSS Filed Sept. 25,- 1933 INVENTOR, /Ymzy 1km/,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 ulrsosrA'rss y y *1,972,080vl rATENToFi-ICVE.

Y 'moss Y Henry A.`French, Charlestown, N. H. Application septemberes,19373, serial 310,596,828

6 claims.k (C1. 12s-103) My invention relates to improvements intrusses.

An object of my inventionis to provide a truss of light weight,resilient material, having means 5 thereon for adjustably locating thepressure pads and also vmeans thereon for adjustably controlling the'pressure exerted bythe pressure pads.

Other objects and advantages yof my invention will belmore completelydescribedvand disclosed' in the following specication, the accompanyingdrawing, and the appended claims.

Broadly, my invention comprises a truss frame consisting of two,`ormore, thin, resilient, metal bands, pivotally connected, pad-supportingmem- V bers pivotally secured to the free endsv of the truss frame,ahinge incorporated in one, or both, of said pad-supporting members,pressure pads secured on the pad-supporting members, an elastic bandmember, slidably secured on the inner surface of the resilient trussframe, the band member being xedly secured to oneof the padsupportingmembers and adjustably secured to the other cf the pad-supportingmembers, and means for securing the free end of the elastic band member,in adjusted position.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in whichz- Fig. l is a perspective view of a trussembodyv ing the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an exterior, elevational view of one end of the truss,illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an interior, elevational view of the pivotal joint in thetruss frame, at the side of the truss.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the opposite end of the truss, illustrating thehinged connection of the pad support.

Fig. 5 is an exterior, elevational view of the end of the truss, shownin Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail, sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2,illustrating the supporting means for the elastic tension band, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view, illustrating 4 5; the truss inposition on the body of a wearer.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in which like numerals refer tolike parts throughout:-

The truss frame members 1 and 2 have their ends 3 and 4 pivotallyconnected by means of the .5.0L pin, or stud, 5. The end portion 3 orthe` member 1 is formed with a plurality of openings 6, which, inco-operation with the pin, or stud 5, provide for longitudinaladjustment ofthe members 1 and 2. The opposite end 'l of the member 1has 5i pivotally secured thereto, at 8, the link member 9. Apad-supporting member 10 is hingedly secured to the link member 9 by thehinge 11. The

free end 12 of the truss frame member 2 haspivotaly'secured thereto, at13, the pad-supporting member 14. Pressure pads 15 and 16, of anysuitable resilient material, are secured to the members l0 .and 14,respectively, in any suitable manner, such as rivets 17. i A leg strap18, of elastic webbing,` or similarmaterial, is secured to the members land 2, as indicated in Figfl.

An elastic band member` 19, xedly 'secured at one end 2O tothepad-supportingmember 10, is slidably secured on theinner surface of themembers l and2 by clips 21. `The free end 22, (see Fig. 2), of thebandmember 19 is passed through the-opening 23,1' formed in thesupporting mem`` ber 14, and held in place, after the desired tension isexerted on pads *'15 and 16, by meansof the pin 24 secured on theoutside of the support- `ing member 14.

In operation, the truss frame is rst longitudinally adjusted' to iit thebody and the points to be protected, by positioning the pin, or stud 5,in the proper opening 6. Further adjustment is secured by turning, ormoving, the members 1 and 2, relative to each other, as indicated inFig. 3, and by moving the membersl 9 and14, relative to the members 1and 2, respectively, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. When the desiredadjustment has been secured, the pads 15 and 16 are pulled inwardly bypulling on the free end 22 of the elastic band member 19, until thedesired pressure is obtained. The band 19 is then secured in position tomaintain this pressure, by means of the pin 24.

In order to provide a smooth, flush, unbroken surface, next the body ofa. wearer, the members 1 and 2 are formed with recesses 25, as indicatedin Fig. 6, where the clips 21 are secured onthe members 1 and 2, so thatthe inner surlface 26 of the clips 21 and the inner surface 27 of theband 19 are flush. It is to be understood that the truss, when in use,engages, or contacts, at only two points, namely, on'the spine and at apoint where pressure is to be applied, as shown in Fig. 7, at the twopoints only at 28 and 29, with a Space 30 between the body and thetruss.

1. A truss construction comprising, in combination, a plurality ofspring band members forming in combination a U-shaped spring frame, saidband members being pivotally connected for movement relative to eachother, pad-supporting members pivotally secured to the free ends of ofsaid free ends for movement relative `to the.,

said frame, a pressure pad secured on said pad-` supporting member, anda tensional band mem; ber slidably secured on the inner surface of saidframe and operatively connected to said' pressure pads for forcing saidpressure pads inward-1, ly of said resilient frame and towards eachother,

substantially, as described.

3 A truss construction comprising, in oomrbination, a LJ-shapedl memberof resilient material, a plate pivotally secured to each end. of saidmember, a cushion pad on each plate, an elastic: member slidablysupported on the inner surface`- ofl the Urshaped; member and connect.ed to the plates for drawing"thecushion pads inwardly, and means forVarying'the tension of the elastic member.

4, A trussE construction comprising, in combination, a U-shaped member`of resilient material, a hinge plate pivotally secured to each endoirsaid. member, a cushion pad on each hinge plate, an elastic memberslidably supported on theinner surface of the vU -shaped member andconnected to the said hinge plates for drawing the cushion padsinwardly, means for Varying the tension of the elastic member, saidmeans comprising an opening in one of the hinge plates, a sharp pinadjacent the opening through which an end of the elastic member passes,the opposite end of the elastic member being attached to the otherpad-supporting hinge plate, whereby the pressures exerted by the pads onthe wearer may be varied.

5. In a truss construction, a resilient frame member having free endportions, front and rear padsupporting members pivotally connected tothe said free end portions of the resilient frame member, pressure padson the end of said padsupporting members, an elastic band memberslidably secured on the inner surface of the resilient frame member andhaving one end thereof fixedly secured to the front of the pivotallyconnected pad-supporting members and the opposite en'd thereof beingadjustably secured to the other one of said pad-supporting members.

6:. In a truss construction, a resilent spring frame member having freeends comprising a. plurality of Abands of resilient metal pivotallyconnected, front and rear pressure` pads pivotally secured on the freeends of said frame, an elastic tension band located on the inner surfaceof the said spring frame and xedly secured toroneof'v the pressure padsof said frame and adjustably secured; tov thev other pressure pad ofsaid-y fgrame, means for holding said tension band in adjustedVposition, and means for slidably supportingV said tensionrband on theinner surface 0f said springframe. Y,

HENRY FRENCH.

